Things That Go 'Zzz' in the Night
by Fati Sasspants
Summary: It seems that Raphael has a little problem with sleepwalking. These are a couple oneshots revolving around that theme, as he grows.  Some are funny, some are serious. Status: HIATUS. NOT discontinued.
1. i

Splinter makes his way around as the boys rough house, pushing toys and refuse out of the way. Though they live in a sewer, he feels the need to at least try to keep their sleeping area clean.

"Can we havva story?" Mikey asks hopefully, as though it isn't way past their bedtime.

"I don't think so, Michelangelo," Splinter answers gently. "It is already far past your bedtime. You should all be sleeping."

"But we ain't tired," Raph tells him.

"Yeah we are," Don disagrees, yawning animatedly. He snaps his mouth shut and begins rooting around in the pile of blankets to get comfortable.

"No we ain't," Raph insists, nudging him roughly.

Splinter sighs. While it provides warmth and comfort, all four of them sleeping together just isn't as practical as it had been when they were smaller. Unfortunately, they have to make due with what they have.

"Shh!" Mikey exclaims, holding a thick finger against his beak. "You're wastin' story ti-em!"

"You shh!" Raph counters, shoving at Mikey with his foot, which causes Leo to topple out of the nest and onto his shell.

"You guys, cut it out!" he cries, arms grabbing at air but getting nowhere.

Helping Leo back into the group, Splinter says sternly, "no story tonight, boys. Perhaps tomorrow evening."

"Aww!" they all chorus (Mikey the loudest.)

Splinter motions for them to settle. He stays, as he always does, until the last set of eyes shut.

…

_Thump. Thump._

_Raphael opens his eyes and frowns. He is not where he should be. He looks around, curiosity taking hold of him. There are no rust-stained cement walls here; the spaces are wide, open, and inviting. And warm. He realizes he's standing on the sidewalk, somewhere, with the sun beating down on his shell. He wonders why his bare feet don't burn, but then realizes he's wearing shoes. He's never owned a pair of shoes in his life._

_He hears Mikey laughing in the distance. It's a hard laugh to mistake. His eyes shoot up, searching everywhere. He finds his brothers several feet away, drawing with colorful sticks of chalk. The sky is big and blue and goes on forever._

_'Raph!' Leo calls to him, waving. 'Hey, Raph!'_

_He lifts his foot and pauses, watching in disbelief as the gravel begins to split and crack. Grass begins growing rapidly between them, flowers shooting up into the sky. He laughs and begins running. Leo calls out to him again._

_'Raph!'_

_He trips and falls, still laughing, into a puddle. In the puddle's reflection, he can see Leo, standing somewhere above him, holding his hand out._

_'Raph!'_

…

"Raph!" Leo cries out, kneeling clumsily against the jagged cement. Gravel cuts into his knees as he leans into the murky water, but he can't be concerned with that now. "Raph, grab on!"

But Raphael isn't responding.

…

_The ground begins to fade away, and Raphael finds himself hanging in mid air. Below him is a gigantic, dark pit, but he doesn't appear to be falling._

_He hears Leo calling to him again, and frantically searches for his brother. Just then, a roaring, freezing river falls from the sky, dragging him down, down…_

…

He bobs along the surface of the water, dipping under, tossed around like an empty milk jug. Donnie and Mikey race ahead, kneeling and reaching into the water with outstretched fingers.

"Raph!" they all yell.

…

Wide eyes snap open, searching for the intense cold encircling his body. Raphael screams, only to have his mouth fill with water, rushing down his throat and into his lungs. Where was he? The last thing he remembers is Mikey's foot in his ribs. He tries to see through the darkness, but it was no use. He coughs and sputters, waving his arms and calling out for someone, anyone, to save him.

He swallows down more disgusting water, felt it filling his entire body. The world starts to fade…

...

"Nnn," Raphael sighs, tossing and turning. He rolls over onto his arm, frowning in his sleep.

Splinter sighs in relief, watching him squirm.

"Raphael?"

"Hnn?" he makes a soft sound in the back of his throat, eyes fluttering open. He blinks several times and twists around, clearly confused. "Where-"

"You are safe now, Raphael," Splinter assures him, gently placing a hand on his arm. Raphael looks back at him with a furrowed brow, mouth cocked open slightly. "You have been sleeping for several hours. I was very worried, but it seems that you are all right…" he frowns softly, the confusion on Raphael's face evident. "Do you not remember, my son?"

"'Member what?" he asks, Mikey flinging himself across the room and embracing him seconds later.

"Raph, you're okay!" he squeaks.

Raph looks on at Leo and Don as Mikey squeezes the life out of him. He shoves the younger boy off of him, realizing for the first time how very cold he is. At the first sign of chattering teeth, Splinter piles another blanket across his shoulders.

"'Course I'm okay. What's gotten into you guys?"

"You were sleepwalkin'," Donnie blurts out excitedly, balking and looking down when Leo shoots him a nasty look.

All of the sudden, he's aware of a bad taste in his mouth, a particular smell in the back of his throat.

"What?" he says in disbelief, looking from brother to brother. He scowls, tears starting to sting his eyes. "No I wasn't."

"You could've died," Leo says coldly, fixating him with an uneasy glare. "You left the lair."

Raphael argues. "No I didn't!"

"Yes, you did, and you very well could have been gravely injured." Splinter kneels slowly, steadying him with a firm hand. "You didn't mean for this to happen, did you, Raphael?"

"N-no, Master," he insists, shaking his head. He feels himself shaking, but he won't cry, not in front of them. "I don't remember any of that, h-honest."

"I believe you, my son," Splinter says quietly, staring into his eyes. He sighs and sweeps his hand across the bedding. "This has been a very trying evening. We must rest now."

This time, the boys pile onto the blankets timidly, as though afraid Raphael might break. When they are all settled in again, Splinter joins them to assure that Raphael will not stray a second time.


	2. ii

**_The guys are older, here. Ten-ish, maybe._**

* * *

As far as Leo is concerned, there is nothing good about winter. It dulls his reaction time and exhausts him, leaving him irritable and unable to focus. He frowns at the book, trying to make sense of it. These scribbles, he knows, are meant to be words. They tell a story. But _what _story? And why does he need to learn to read, anyway? Why does anyone? It is much easier to get your point across by simply talking, though, the more he thinks about it, he realizes that maybe learning to read and write isn't such a bad thing, after all. It would certainly make things easier- Splinter could leave notes for them around the lair when he goes off to hunt for food, instead of having to tell them to their face. While he's not thrilled to admit it, Leo can see the relevance of it all. Therefore, he begrudgingly lowers his eyes to the text again.

The flickering of a candle catches his eye. He peers over the edge of the book at Mikey, huddled around the candle, reading with ease several ripped pages from the very book he is holding. Leo stares enviously. It's just not fair. He practices and practices, and never gets any better, but Mikey takes one look and, 'it's a piece of cake.'

"I'm freezing," Mikey says, carefully (so that it does not catch flame) flipping a page over.

"We're all cold," Leo reminds him, trying to keep the ire out of his voice.

"I'm bored, too," he whines.

Leo arches an eyebrow.

"What? Reading makes me bored."

_At least you **can** read_, Leo thinks, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. He instead looks over to the second ring of light where Donny and Raph are; Donny huddled over something, tinkering, most likely; Raphael slouched against the wall, arms across his chest. Like a guard dog, Leo thinks with a smirk. He's never actually seen a guard dog, but apparently, Splinter has encountered one before. He can't be feeling any of the warmth from the candle from where he's sitting, Leo realizes, but Raph doesn't seem to mind. Probably too stubborn to admit to being cold.

Mikey pauses, eyes hovering over the text as he speaks. "Guys? What if he doesn't come back?"

Raph grunts quietly. "He's never not come back before."

"He _always_ comes back," Donny says confidently, holding something up to the light for closer inspection.

"Yeah, but what if he doesn't?"

Raph sighs. "Mikey, how'd you get so dumb?"

"I donno, Raph," Mikey says, "how'd you get so ugly?"

"Knock it off, guys," Leo says firmly. "He'll come back. He always comes back."

…

It is eerily quiet, save for the wind that comes whistling into the sewers. A single bead of water dribbles down a pipe somewhere off to their right, _ploink_ing into a puddle. Leo likes it; the noise is distracting without being irritating, and it's steady. It helps him concentrate.

It takes him longer than it should, in his opinion, but finally, he has moved onto the second page. Rather than feel a sense of pride, he feels disappointed with himself. It's no fun, his mouth trying to sound the words out but his voice not letting him. If someone were to laugh at him, he might die of embarrassment. No one needs to know.

"He's been gone forever," Mikey eventually whines, breaking the silence. He is lying on the ground with his chin resting on the pages from Leo's book, arms at his side. He stares dismally into the candle.

This time, Leo does roll his eyes. He shuts the book, gingerly shifting the hardback into place. "He has not."

Donny uses the candle to guide the way as he moves. "It's only been, like, an hour."

"How do you know?" Mikey challenges, glancing up.

Don shrugs. "I just know."

As Don and Mike bicker about how long Splinter has been gone, Leo's gaze drifts, settling on Raph, who is unusually still. He cuts into the conversation, saying, "is he asleep?" They haven't been allowed to take naps, unless ill, since they were little. Raph, especially, considering he hardly slept the whole night through as it was. "He's been really quiet. Raph."

"Now that you mention it," Don says, heading over to him, "you're right."

Mikey, not wanting to be left out of the conversation, says, "Yeah, he hasn't told me to shut up for a while now."

"Raph?" Don timidly creeps closer. The candle light bobs against the wall, growing larger and larger, until the sleeping form of Raphael is revealed, slouching with his chin resting against his chest. "Raph?" he tries again, louder. "_Raph_!"

Raph's eyes flutter open briefly. "'Ope."

"How the shell can he sleep when it's so_ cold_?" Mikey asks.

"I don't know," Don says, shuffling closer. He moves agonizingly slow, though Leo can't blame him- once, Raph had punched him in the jaw for trying to wake him. "Raph, get up."

"What?" Raph groans.

"Wake up!"

He sighs loudly. Several seconds pass, then: "'Ope."

"Raphael!" Leo shouts, causing Don to jump back in surprise. "No one else is taking a nap. Get up."

"Fine," he snaps like a child not getting their way. "Get out of bed, stuck…stuck…so do it."

"You're not_ in_ bed," he answers, crossing over to him. Carefully, he puts a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle shake. "It's not even night. Get up."

Raph's eyes pop open in an instant. He moans and bats the hand away, arms flying up behind his head. He yawns, scratching the side of his face. Glazed eyes wander around the room. "What's…Leo? Crap." He takes a hand down his face and climbs to his feet."

"Great," Leo mumbles. "Now you're gunna be up all night."

"Shaddap," Raph orders, taking in his surroundings. "He's still gone, huh?"

Don smiles apologetically, hand close to the candle to protect the flame as he returns it. He says, "a little over an hour, now. Maybe... twenty minutes?"

Raph nods, following Leo back to the circle where everyone is huddled around the flame. He sneers as he sits.

"What's so funny?" Leo asks.

"You are. You think you're so…" he shakes his head slowly. "Ah, never mind. 'S freezing'. Anyone else freezing?"

Mikey's hand shoots up. "_Thank_ you!"

"We're_ .all. _cold," Leo says sharply, groaning.

…

They wait for what seems like years, until they hear Splinter scampering down the tunnel that leads to their secret lair. In his paw is a blanket, corners gathered to form a carrier of sorts. As he empties it, a few rolls of bread bounce out, followed by a tiny container of butter (pull tab still in place), a matchbook, and a dirty, dented red and white can.

"Master Splinter!" Mikey cheers, hands in the air. "You're alive!"

"Told you," Donny remarks casually, going over to greet him.

Splinter collects the taller of the two candles and blows it out, explaining that they need to conserve what they have. Leo nods in agreement, though he misses the extra warmth. Everyone gathers around the remaining candle and receives a roll, which they dip into the can (Leo doesn't know what it is, but it looks like soggy wet newspaper, though lumpy and not soupy. It tastes okay.)

"I take it there were no incidents?" Splinter asks, scanning each of their faces with curious eyes.

"Raph fell asleep," Leo informs him, which earns him a glare from Raph.

Face aflame with irritation, Raph retorts, "Leo didn't finish his reading assignment."

"I did too!" Leo insists, eyes wide in surprise.

"Baloney!" Raph smirks. "Even Mikey reads faster'n you."

Mikey grinned, not catching onto the putdown. "Gee, thanks, Raph."

"That wasn't a compliment, doofus," Donny explains to him.

"Boys! Enough."

Four sets of eyes drop to the floor. "Sorry," they all answer in unison.

"Leonardo," Splinter says, turning the bread roll over in his paw. "Why did you feel the need to tattle on your brother?"

Leo wants to answer confidently, but finds himself speaking little above a murmur. "I was just tryin' to help. He's not supposed to…" he lets his voice trail off.

"Wanting to help and tattling are tow different things," Splinter gently explains. "If Raphael had left the lair, or gotten into danger -if any of you had gotten into danger- those would be things I would expect you to inform me of."

"'M sorry, sensei," he answers almost inaudibly. "I just don't want anything to happen to him." _again,_ he finishes inside his mind.

"Ha ha," Mikey sings obnoxiously in attempts to break the tension, "you care about Raph!"

Irate eyes zero in on him.

His eyes quickly drop to the floor once more. He clears his throat, and stuffs a piece of bread into his mouth. "S'rry."

"I don't want anything to happen to any of you," Leo clarifies, and then begins eating again.

Splinter nods approvingly, and then turns to Raph. "And Raphael…"

"I was only out for like, twenty minutes, tops," he insists.

Splinter holds his paw up to silence him. "Whether or not your brother finishes his reading assignment does not involve you. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he answers huffily.

Everyone returns to eating, thankfully, and not much else is said. At least until Mikey deems it 'way too quiet', and appears by Splinter's side. He's too old to be leaning on him all the time, but Splinter only smiles kindly. "When will we be big enough to go with you?" he asks. "There's nothing' to do down here, we get so bored. That's probly why Raph fell asleep."

"You are still too young, Michelangelo."

Mikey sighs and leans slackly against him. "When, Master?"

"Perhaps next year," the rat replies with a warm chuckle, his shoulder dipping from the extra weight.


	3. iii

**_I really like how I keep managing to upload the next chapter over the previous chapter. Not. Set a while later. The boys are probably fourteen or fifteen, here._**

**_

* * *

_**As Raph stumbles around the room, grabbing blindly for walls that aren't there, with a strange, glazed expression on his face, Mikey makes circles. He remains ready to grab him, should he fall. One glance at the floor shows a minefield of junk. It's a wonder he hasn't tripped already, Mikey thinks.

Raph sighs deeply and pats his stomach, head falling to the side.

"Raphael," Mikey says in a clear, even voice. "This is your conscience speaking."

He really shouldn't mess with him, but how can he not? After all he's been through this week (the smacks to the back of the head, the hot sauce incident,), Raph deserves it. Chances are he was going to end up doing it, anyway, Mikey reasons. At least this way it'll be supervised.

"Hey, Raph? Can ya hear me?"

"M'yeah," Raph says groggily. "'ear ya. Qui'talk'n, yer face outta 'ere."

"Good." Mikey rubs his hands together eagerly. "Mikey is awesome. Therefore, you should always give him the last slice of pizza, always," he commands, face falling in disappointment when Raph doesn't move a muscle. "Always," he repeats. "The last slice of pizza. Understand? Also, Mikey is all-knowing and powerful, so you should probably do what he wants. Like tomorrow, when he asks you for that girly magazine… You should probably give it to 'em."

Two minutes later, Raph hasn't done much besides pat his stomach. Mikey's about to call the whole thing off and put him back to sleep when Raph suddenly takes off without warning, ambling around the lair. He makes his way to the entertainment area, first, trying to force the remote into a hole in the raggedy couch. It's hell getting the remote away from him, but eventually he loses interest and Mikey manages to steer him to area they refer to as a kitchen.

He's starting to get nervous, with Raph up and walking around. All he wanted was to implant subliminal messages. If Leo finds out about this, he's dead.

"Fourth cam'ra t'bridge dragon k'k," he babbles, opening the fridge and rooting around.

"That's great, bro, but maybe you'd better get back to-"

"Oh, hey." Don walks in and pauses, looking surprised. "I didn't know anyone else was awake. Can't sleep?"

"Just getting a snack," Mikey lies, sending a sideways glance over to Raph, who finishes off a canister of bacon bits in one handful. He brushes his hands off as he chews, staring glassily at nothing.

"Are you eating-" Don stops himself, his eyes growing wide and then shrinking to small slits. "Is he asleep?"

Mikey makes a noise like he can't believe Don would suggest such a thing. "Nooo."

"Master Splinter's going to have your shell when he finds out," Don notes, pursuing Raph as he again walks off. Don winces, arms outstretched but afraid to touch him every time his shoulder bumps into a wall. "What's he been doing?"

"Not much." Mikey shrugs. "Just walking around. He's been snapping his fingers and looking around the floor. I think he thinks we have a cat."

"Really?" Don asks, sounding like he's trying not to laugh. "About how long now?"

"Like, ten minutes."

Don shakes his head. "I thought he grew out of the walking around stage. Lately he just sits up in bed. If he's walking around again, we're gonna have to start tying that bell to his ankle again." he scratched his head thoughtfully. "He's not gonna like that."

"I wouldn't like that," Mikey agrees.

"Mikey," Raph mumbles, knees banging into the side of the couch. He frowns, a strange, distant look, and extends his arms out to feel the fabric. Before long, he's stomach down on the couch, right arm and leg touching the floor. "Gotta give'm… lass peesa pizza."

Swinging a pointed glance at Mikey, Don says, "Last piece of pizza, huh?"

"Heh." A hand goes to the back of his head. He shrugs gently. "I was just going to make him clean my room or make me a sandwich or something. You know, as payback for all the cruddy things he does."

Don looks like he wants to say something, but doesn't know if he should or not.

"Oh, come on. Don't pull a Leo on me. He was up before I even got in there. Look," he points to Raph, "he's asleep again. Probably won't even get up again. No sweat."

"Make sure he can't get out into the sewers," Don orders with a sigh. Pinching where the bridge of his nose would be. "That's the last thing we need. And_ get to bed._ Sensei said we have practice early, and there's no _way _he's going to let anyone take a sick-day."

Hanging his head in shame, Mike lumbers away. As he does, Don walks over to Raph, shaking his head. He looks up, peering into the darkness, and then leans down so that he's face-level with Raph, who is now snoring. "Smack Mikey twice as hard tomorrow morning at breakfast," he says with a smirk. "Just for the heck of it… and offer to help Donny later in his lab."

When Mikey returns, Don is waiting with his brows arched high, arms folded across his chest. He nods his head, silently telling Mikey to get to bed. They make the walk together, parting ways as they near their rooms.

"I hope you think twice next time before messing with him," Don says primly. "You two could have gotten into some serious trouble."

"Whatever you say, Leo." Mikey stares at him for a moment. A grin slowly creeps onto his face."Wait a sec..."

Don looks at him, bewildered. "What?"

"You messed with him, too, didn't you?"

Don turns his snout up. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Dude. You so did. And you're trying to guilt _moi?_" he shakes his head slowly. "Some nerve. What'd you implant in that noggin' of his, Don, huh?"

"Go to bed, Mikey," Don says dully, walking away.


End file.
